Navy's Newest Warplane Tests Its Sea Legs - Super Hornet goes to sea

San Diego Union-Tribune | July 24, 2002 | James W. Crawley

[knak]

Thanks for posting this, my husband said he heard about it on the radio. I could'nt find a story though.

[Stand Watch Listen]

Your husband needs to visit FR more. The news, the analysis, the rebuttals, the additional data...all in one package.

[knak]

He only gets to visit FR when he can kick me off!

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

"We can do everything."

Except match the performance of the plane it will be replacing, the F-14.

[dr_who]

Touch screen displays and "electronic" knobs? Who'd want those in a cockpit?

[homeschool mama]

Hubby ping!

[cmsgop]

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Except match the performance of the plane it will be replacing, the F-14.

I thought the Hornet's primary role was to replace the A-6 Intruder.

The Hornet will have a tough go of it as an air superiority fighter. Just MHO.

[apackof2]

"We're our own little war machine,"
Excellant!
thanks for the picture

[cmsgop]

Anytime......

I also do Birthday Parties........

[Stand Watch Listen]

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[El Gato]

The $57 million-per-copy Super Hornet, 11 years in development,

11 years do develop and deploy, what is in reality a modification, albeit a major one, of an existing aircaft. That is truely sick. They didn't even develope new avionics, but used those designed and/or upgraded for the older models. (For the most part that is). Only now are they talking about putting in an electronically scanned arrary radar for example. The existing E and F's have eseentially the same radar as the C and D models. Meanwhile they, the Navy airplane design and developement community, bit the big one twice, once with the A-6 upgrade that never was and the with the A-12, which never progressed beyong the mockup stage, inspite of both of these programs sucking up mucho dinero.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

I thought the Hornet's primary role was to replace the A-6 Intruder.

The Intruder was supposed to be replaced by the A-12. The D model Hornet has been a band aid that has failed in that role. The Hornet was designed to replace the A-4, A-7 and F-4.

[LibKill]

I note the Corps did not buy. What are your thoughts on this? (Believe me, I do understand that the Corps is always underfunded.)

[Jeff Head]

Wish it carried the AIM-54 ... or that we developed the ALRAAM for it. It's another serious issue.

[Aaron_A]

Also, with 33 percent more fuel, the E models can fly 132 miles farther than older Hornets.

That doesn't sound right.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

They're going to get all of the Navy's D model Hornets as they are replaced by the F. The Corps was never really interested, opting instead for the JSF to replace both the Harrier and Hornet. The Hornet can't operate from the deck of an LHA/D. They want to get to one tactical airframe eventually and get away from having to support CVW's. That won't happen for a long time though, if ever.